Michael Jones (Virginia politician)

Last updated

June Cober
​
(m. 2019)​
Michael Jones
Michael Jones - State of the Commonwealth 2024 02 (cropped).jpg
Jones in 2024
Member of the VirginiaHouseofDelegates
from the 77th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 10, 2024
Children3
Education University of Colorado Boulder (BA)
Virginia Union University (MDiv)
McCormick Theological Seminary (DMin)

Michael J. Jones (born 1967) is an American pastor and politician serving as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 77th district. A Democrat, he was elected in 2023 and previously served on the city council of Richmond from 2016 to 2023.

Contents

Early life and education

Jones was raised by a single mother. [1] He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology in 1989, Virginia Union University with a Master of Divinity in 2001, and the McCormick Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry in 2007. [2]

Career

Jones formerly worked as a pastor at Fourth Baptist Church in Richmond, then founded the Village of Faith church with his then-wife Tanya Jones where he has worked as a full-time pastor since 2005. In 2018, the church had around 900 members and two locations in Sandston and Midlothian. [3] [1]

In 2016, Jones was elected to the city council of Richmond from the 9th district.

Virginia House of Delegates

In 2021, Jones filed to run against incumbent state delegate Betsy Carr in the Democratic primary, but was disqualified by the Virginia State Board of Elections over paperwork issues. [4]

In 2023, Jones ran for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 77th district, a new seat containing parts of Chesterfield County and Richmond. [5]

Tenure

In 2024, Jones visited the Red Onion State Prison following numerous of inmate mistreatment and self-immolation, and stated inmates' needed better food, access to educational resources, medical care, and that prison leadership needed to end to racist behavior toward Black inmates. [6]

In 2025, Jones introduced a bill which would have restricted universities from divesting from foreign countries that are not already subject to United States government sanctions as a counter to student protests calling for universities to divest from Israel; it did not receive a hearing. [7] He also introduced a bill which would implement a plastic bag ban in grocery stores, requiring them to encourage reusable bag usage. [8]

Personal life

Jones was married to Tanya Jones, with whom he founded the Village of Faith church with, and the couple divorced around 2012. He married his current wife, June (née Cober), in 2019; he has two adult children and she has a daughter from previous relationships. [3]

In March 2024, June and her daughter were granted a preliminary protective order against him following allegations of domestic abuse and harassment. [9] [10] A judge declined to extend the order a month later. [11]

Electoral history

2016 Richmond, Virginia city council election, District 9 [12]
CandidateVotes %
Michael J. Jones4,44057.1
Leon Benjamin1,71122.0
Germika Tomasiah Pegram1,20215.5
Marcus Omar Squires3824.9
Write-in 360.5
Total votes7,771 100.0
2020 Richmond, Virginia city council election, District 9 [13]
CandidateVotes %
Michael J. Jones7,22198.4
Write-in 1151.6
Total votes7,336 100.0
Virginia's 77th House of Delegates district, 2023 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael J. Jones 18,587 91.1
Write-in 18268.9
Total votes20,413 100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. 1 2 "Church gives nine cars to single moms". Richmond Times-Dispatch . January 18, 2009. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Delegate Michael J. Jones". Virginia General Assembly . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "City Councilman Jones proposes to girlfriend—and she said..." Richmond Free Press . October 4, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  4. ↑ Matthews, Crixell (April 1, 2021). "Mike Jones Off Ballot For Delegate Race, Requests Extension". Virginia Public Media . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  5. ↑ Lazarus, Jeremy (April 28, 2022). "City Councilman Michael J. Jones files again to run for House of Delegates". Richmond Free Press . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ Lester, Jeff (December 31, 2024). "Del. Jones makes unannounced visit to Red Onion following reports of inmate mistreatment and self-immolation". Cardinal News. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  7. ↑ Kerley, Andrew (February 7, 2025). "Virginia bills targeting 'terrorists' fail over free speech concerns". The Commonwealth Times . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  8. ↑ Nadeau, Ryan (January 21, 2025). "No more plastic shopping bags? Bill wants to make them illegal at Virginia grocery stores". WRIC-TV . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  9. ↑ Nadeau, Ryan (April 8, 2024). "Wife of Del. Michael Jones granted protective order against him, allegations of family abuse and harassment". WRIC-TV . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ Graff, Henry (April 8, 2024). "Protective order filed against Virginia State Delegate". WWBT-TV . Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Judge declines to extend protection order for Mike Jones' wife over abuse allegations". WRIC-TV . April 9, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  12. ↑ "2016 November General". November 6, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  13. ↑ "2020 November General". November 3, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  14. ↑ "2023 November General". November 7, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
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